Control mechanism for coin counting machines



June 23, 1964 A. R. BUCHHOLZ 3,138,166

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COIN COUNTING MACHINES Filed March 26, 1962 5Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR. 1418/1/04 A. BUG/79701.2

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CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COIN COUNTING MACHINES Filed March 26, 1962 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

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CONTROL. MECHANISM FOR COIN COUNTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-$heet 3 FiledMarch 26, 1962 INVENTOR.

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CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COIN COUNTING MACHINES Filed March 26, 1962 5Sheets-Sheet 4 1 INVENTOR. xw/vam e gum/m2 1 fl 14 June 23, 1964 A. R.BUCHHOLZ CONTROL MECHANISM FOR COIN COUNTING MACHINES Filed March 26,1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ARA 0&0 R BUCHHOLZ lrraemfy United States Patent "ice 3,133,166 CUNTROLMECHANHSM FOR (ZQlN CUUNTHNG MACH Arnold R. Buchholz, Watertown, Wia,assignor to Brandt Automatic Cashier Company, Watertown, Wisn, acorporation of Wisconsin Filed Mar. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 182,169 4 Claims.(Cl. 133-8) This invention relates to a control mechanism for coincounting machines of the type which utilize a coin feed Wheel by whichcoins are carried past and actuate a counter operating wheel, and moreparticularly to a mechanism for rendering the coin feed Wheelinoperative at the end of a predetermined count of a small number ofcoins or at the end of a count of a large number of Coin countingmachines of the type considered herein are employed to count apredetermined number of coins of a given denomination for packaging ofthe coins in paper wrappers or in bags. It is desirable to provide meansin such counting machines to render the coin feeding apparatusinoperative automatically upon the completion of the count of thepreselected number of coins. Control mechanisms of the type shown in US.Letters Patent No. 2,645,234, dated June 14, 1953, to Arnold R.Buchholz, have been utilized for the above function to render the coinfeed wheel inoperative at the end of a predetermined count of a smallnumber of coins, usually ten to fifty for packaging in paper wrappers,and also at the end of a large number of coins, usually a thousand coinsfor bagging operations. Such control mechanisms employ one coinregistering means for the count of a small number of coins and aseparate coin registering means for the count of a large number ofcoins, each of the means individually adapted to actuate a controlmember which renders the feed wheel inoperative.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved count controlmechanism of simplified operation and construction in which the count ofa large number of coins is completed through the count registering meansfor a predetermined small number of coins which in turn actuates acontrol member to render the feedwheel inoperative.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention willappear in the following description. In the description, reference ismade to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in whichthere is shown by way of illustration, and not of limitation, a specificembodiment'wherein the invention resides.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a coin counting machine with which thecount control mechanism embodying the invention may be employed,

FIG. 2 is a view in vertical section taken in the plane of the line 2-2of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a bottom, plan view of the count control mechanism showing itin one Position, 7

FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are views similarto FIG. 3 showing the operatingparts of the count control mechanism in other positions, w

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the count control mechanism, 1

FIG. 9 is an end view, partly in section, of the count control mechanismtaken in the plane of the line 99 of FIG. 7,

Eddhihh Patented June 723, 1964 FIG. 10 is a view in vertical sectiontaken in the plane of the line Ill-10 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 11 is a view in vertical section taken in the plane of the linel11l of FIG. 10, and

FIG. 12 is a view in vertical section taken in the plane of the linel2l2 of FIG. 10.

Referring to FIG. 1, the count controlmechanisrnembodying the inventionis preferably used with a counting machine of the type which includes acontinuously rotating disc 21 which forms the bottom of a hopper definedby upstanding annular flange 22 and from which coins are carried bycentrifugal force through an adjustable gate opening to adischargechannel 23 where they are engaged by a rubber feed wheel 24 andare forced thereby to engage a star wheel 25 to rotate the same. A starwheel 25 is mounted on a shaft 26 provided with a bevelled gear portion27 which meshes with a bevelled gear 28 mounted on a shaft 29 foroperating a conventional zero setting counter 3t? (see FIG. 2).

Referring also to FIGS. 10 and 11, the feed wheel 24 is V mounted on anextending portion of a shaft 31 which carries a pulley 32 connected by abelt 33 (see FIG. 1) with a pulley 34 on a shaft 127 carrying anotherpulley 35 which is connected by a belt 36 with a pulley 37 on a motordriven shaft 38. The shaft 31 is mounted in a rear bearing 39 (see FIGS.10 and 11) pivotably mounted with in a yoke 46 which is securely atlixedto a coin gate housing 41. The shaft3l is further mounted in a frontbearing 42 carried within a box 43 formed as an integral part of a'tiltable support 44- mounted to turn on a pivot shaft 4-5. Acompression spring 46 is baised against the bottom of the box 43 to urgethe feed wheel 24- upwardly away from a coin engaging position.

The feed wheel 24 is rendered operative to feed coinsto the star wheel25 by a mechanism which includes a continuous duty solenoid 47 which isnormally energized when the counting machine is in operation. Theplunger 48 of the solenoid 47 is provided with an extension .49.

which terminates in a wedge shaped member 50 which rides in a slot 128provided in the lower end of a vertically guided rod 51 mounted at itsupper end on a shaft 52secured to the tiltable support 44. The bottomsurface of the Wedge shaped member 54? rides on a roller 53 wherebyenergization of the solenoid 47 causes the memher St) to be drawntowards the solenoid 47 thereby. forcing the rod 51 upwardly to move thefeed wheel 24 to a coin engaging position. A normally closed switch 54(see FIG. 2) is connected to thesolenoid 47. The control mechanismhereinafter described operates the switch 54 to deenergize the solenoid47 at the end of a count, but

in the prior art and as shown in U.S. Letters Patent No. 2,378,828,dated June 19, 1945, to A. R. Buchholz and W. A. Barganz, instead of atilting feed wheel 24 a clutch may be utilized between the pulley 32 andthe shaft 31 and the control mechanismhereinafter described is alsoapplicable to controlling the operation of such a clutch.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 8, the control mechanism includes a frame 55 onwhich a rotatable ratchet wheel 56 is mounted. The ratchet wheel 56 maybe moved to a predetermined set position by a setting lever 57 providedwith an arm 58 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) which engages a pin 59 on the wheel.The setting of the lever 57 permits the counting of the coins inpredetermined amounts from 10 to 50 and also permits an unlimited countfor bagging operations. A coiled spring 60 urges the ratchet mi wheel 56in a counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 3-7, which provides spring biasfor the setting of the ratchet wheel 56 by the lever 57. The ratchet 56is advanced one tooth for every revolution of the coin actuated shaft 26by a single toothed drive member 61 mounted at the end of the shaft 26,and is held against free rotation to a release position by a holdingpawl 62 mounted on a pivot shaft 63 and urged toward the ratchet wheel56 by a spring 64. The holding pawl 62 is controlled by releasemechanism including a release lever 65 pivotally mounted on a shaft 66which is secured to an extending end of a ratchet operated lever 67. Thelever 67 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 68 which in turn is secured tothe frame 55 and which further carries the ratchet wheel 56. The lever67 is normally urged upwardly, as viewed in FIGS. 3-7, by a spring 69 toan upper position, relative to FIGS. 3 through 7, where it is locked andheld by a latch 70 which is pivotably supported on a shaft 71 and heldin locked position by a spring 72. Toward the end of any predeterminedcount whether large or small, a pin 73 mounted on the ratchet wheel 56engages the lever 67 and swings it downwardly in a clockwise directionto a lower position as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7 where it is held bythe latch 70. The lever 67 is provided with shoulder portions 74 and 75which are engaged by the latch 70 to retain the lever 67 in its twopositions. The release lever 65 is provided with three arm portions 76,77 and 78. The arm 76 is provided with a pin 79 which rides in a slot 80in the holding pawl 62. The arm 77 is provided with a pin 81 adapted tobe engaged by the single toothed member 61 when the lever 65 is in alower position (FIGS. 4 and 7). The arm 78 is provided with a pin 82which is adapted to actuate switch 54 by engaging button 83 to open thenormally closed contacts of the switch, and thereby to deenergize thesolenoid 47.

The thousand count mechanism is mounted on a plate 84 which is pivotablymounted on a shaft 85 securely affixed to the frame 55. The plate 84with its attached mechanism hereinafter described is adapted to be movedbetween an engaged and a disengaged position by a pull rod 86 whichextends through a front wall 87 of the counting machine so that it willbe accessible to an operator. The plate 84 is held in its two positionsby a ball 88 retained in a bracket 89 attached to the frame 55 and whichis received in respective holes 90 and 91 provided in the plate 84 (seeFIG. 9). The ball 88 is biased towards the plate 84 by a strip spring 92mounted on the bracket 89. When the plate 84 is disengaged, the ball 88is received within the upper hole 90 to prevent complete withdrawal ofthe plate 84. When the plate 84 is engaged by an outward pull of the rod86, the ball 88 is received in the hole 91 and a stop plate 93 preventsfurther upward movement of the plate 84.

A count multiplying gear wheel 94 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 95secured to the plate 84 and is adapted to be engaged by the singletoothed drive member 61 when the plate 84 is in an engaged position. Forstep by step rotation of the gear wheel 94 by the member 61, a holdingpawl 96 is pivotably mounted on the plate 84 on a shaft 97 and urged tooperative position by a spring 98. The gear wheel 94 has a singletoothed member 99 secured to it for engagement with a ratchet wheel 100pivotably mounted on a shaft 101 secured to the plate 84. For step bystep rotation of the ratchet wheel 100 by the member 99, a holding pawl102 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 103 secured to the plate 84 andurged to operative position by a spring 104. A pin 105 extends outwardlyfrom the ratchet wheel 100 to engage an outwardly spaced arm 106 affixedto the ratchet wheel 56.

A reset and count start control lever 107 is pivotally mounted on theframe 55 on a shaft 108 and is normally urged to an inoperative positionby a spring 109. Lever 107 has a latch release dog 110 pivotally mountedon a shaft 111. The dog 110 carries a pin 112 working in an arcuate slot113 in the lever 107 and extending into a cam slot 114 provided in theframe 55. The pin 112 is urged normally against one side of the slot 114by a spring 115. An extending end 116 of the dog 110 is adapted toengage a pin 117 on the latch 70 to release the latch '70 when the lever107 is actuated. A push lever 118 is mounted at one end on a shaft 119carried by the lever 107 and includes an outstanding portion 120. Coinsleaving the star wheel 25 are carried through a discharge chute 121 to adischarge tube 122 which is suitably tiltably mounted upon a pin 123 sothat it may be moved to engage a plunger 124 biased outwardly by aspring 129 and that acts on a crank member 125 which is suitably pivotedin the frame of the machine and has an arm 126 engageable with theoutstanding portion of the push lever 118 (see FIGS. 10 and 12).

To count coins in predetermined amounts from 10 to 50, the plate 84 andits attached mechanism is disengaged by forcing the pull rod 86downward, relative to FIGS. 3-8, which will move the plate 84 into aposition where the ball 88 is received in the hole 90 of the plate 84.With the plate 84 in its disengaged position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4the ratchet wheel 56 is set to the desired count by the setting lever57. With the switch 54 in its normally closed condition, the solenoid 47is energized thereby drawing the wedge shaped member 50 toward thesolenoid and causing the rod 51 to be moved upwardly by the cammingaction of the member 50. Upward movement of the rod 51 rotates thetiltable support 44 counterclockwise against the action of the spring 46to cause the feed wheel 24 to be moved downwardly into a coin engagingposition. With the feed wheel 24 in its coin engaging position, coinsare fed from the hopper 22 to be engaged by the feed wheel 24 whichforces the coins against the star wheel 25. As the star wheel 25 isrotated by the passage of coins, the single tooth drive member 61 isrotated and engages the ratchet wheel 56.

The ratchet wheel 56 is advanced one tooth for every five coins that arepassed by the star wheel 25 and in the construction being described, themember 61 advances the ratchet wheel 56 on the counts of 2 and 3, 7 and8 and so on and not at the end of the counts of 5 to preset the releaselever 65 to be acted upon by the member 61 when the predetermined counthas been reached. Thus, as the second coin is counted the member 61engages one of the teeth of the wheel 56 and moves the same sufiicientlyto swing the pawl 62 free. When this occurs, the wheel 56 is preventedfrom being returned under the force of the coiled spring 60 as themember 61 is in driving contact with the wheel 56. As the third coin iscounted the spring 64 returns the pawl 62 to its holding position. If itbe assumed that the control mechanism has been preset for a count offifty coins, at the end of the count of the forty-sixth coin the membersor parts will be in the position shown in FIG. 3. As the forty-seventhand fortyeighth coins are counted the member 61 engages the teeth of thewheel 56 thereby advancing the wheel 56 and causing the pin 73 to engagethe lever 67 which is moved clockwise into its lower position where itis held by the latch 70. Movement of the lever 67 also moves theattached lever 65 to position the pin 81 in the path of the member 61.At the count of the fiftieth coin, the member 61 strikes the pin 81thereby rotating the lever 65 and moving the pin 79 against a side ofthe slot 80 to swing the pawl 62 free so that the wheel 56 is returnedto its initial position under the force of the coiled spring 60 and themembers or parts will assume the positions shown in FIG. 4. Rotation ofthe lever 65 under the action of the member 61 also causes the pin 82 toengage and open the contacts of the normally closed switch 54 therebydeenergizing the solenoid 47. Deenergization of the solenoid 47 permitsthe rod 51 and tiltable support 44 to be moved under the action of thespring 46 to withdraw the feed wheel 24 from a coin engaging position.

Before another predetermined count can be effected, it is necessary toreset the coin count control mechanism. This may be done manually byshifting the lever 107 from its normal position against the action ofthe spring 109 or by tilting the discharge tube 122 so that it forcesthe plunger 124 upward to rotate the crank member 125 thereby forcingthe crank member arm 126 against the outstanding portion 120 of the pushlever 118. Both methods yield the same result in that the dog 110 isrotated in a clockwise direction relative to FIG. 8 so that theextending end 116 will engage the pin 117 of the latch 79 therebyrotating the latch 70 counterclockwise to release the latch 70 fromengagement with the shoulder portion '74 which permits the levers 65 and67 to move into their upper positions under the action of the spring 69.With the lever 65 in its upper position, the switch 54 is returned toits normal closed condition thereby energizing the solenoid 47 to placethe feed wheel 24 into a coin engaging position, as hereinbeforedescribed.

By use of the setting lever 57 the ratchet wheel 56 may be placed in abagging position, in which position the pawl 62 engages the first toothof the ratchet wheel 56. An unlimited count may be had in the baggingposition since the member 61 cannot engage any of the teeth of theratchet 4%.

To count coins in multiples of one thousand, the control mechanism isplaced in the bagging position as described above and the plate 84 withits attached extended count mechanism is engaged by drawing the pull rod86 outwardly from the counting machine. With the plate 84 engaged, thegear wheel 94 is positioned whereby it may be engaged by the member 61as coins are fed past the star wheel 25 as shown in FIG. 5. The gearwheel 94 is advanced one tooth for each revolution of the member 61 and,since it carries ten teeth, it is rotated once for every fifty coinscounted.

For each full revolution of the gear wheel 94, the ratchet wheel 166 isadvanced one tooth by the single tooth member 91 afiixed to the wheel 94(see FIG. 5). The ratchet wheel 1% is, therefore, advanced one tooth forevery fifty coins counted, and since the ratchet wheel 1% has twentyteeth, it completes one full revolution for each one thousand coinscounted. However, when the ratchet Wheel 1049 is rotated from itseigtheenth to its nineteenth tooth, or when the nine hundred fiftiethcoin is counted, the pin 1G5 afiixed to the wheel 160 engages the arm106 secured to the ratchet wheel 56 as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, as theratchet wheel 100 is moved to the nineteenth tooth, the ratchet wheel 56is rotated to a position where the holding pawl 62 engages its secondtooth, which is the same position as a setting for a predetermined countof fifty coins. During the count of the last fifty coins of the thousandcoins, the coin registering mechanism which includes the ratchet wheel56 is engaged by the member 61 in the same manner as described above fora predetermined count of fifty. As the nine hundred ninety-seventh andninety-eighth coins are counted, the pin 73 secured to the ratchet wheel56 will again engage the ratchet operated lever 67 to move the lever 67to its lower position where it is engaged by the latch 76. The lever 65is moved to a position where the pin 81 is placed in the path of themember 61. At the end of the count of one thousand coins, the member 61engages the pin 81 thereby rotating the lever 65 and causing the pin 82to open the normally closed switch 54. Opening the switch 54 deenergizesthe solenoid 4'7 and permits the feed wheel 24 to be moved upward andout of a coin engaging position. The member can no longer rotate sinceit is blocked by the pin 31 secured to the arm 77 of the lever 65, andthe members or parts are in the position shown in FIG. 7. Reset of thecoin count control mechanism is carried out as hereinbefore described.

It will be apparent from the above description that the coin countcontrol mechanism of this invention provides a simple and elficientmechanism for stopping the flow of coins once the predetermined count ofa small or a large number of coins has been completed by utilizing thesmall coin count registering mechanism to complete the count of thelarge number of coins.

I claim:

1. In a coin counting machine having a driven coin feeding wheel, meansfor rendering said wheel operative to feed coins during a count, andcontrol means to render said first named means inoperative at the end ofa count, the combination of a control mechanism for said control meanscomprising a coin driven member, count settable registering meansengageable by said coin driven member to operate said control means atthe completion of a count of different predetermined small numbers ofcoins, said count registering means being also settable to a disengagedposition relative to said coin driven member for extended count,extended count registering means engageable by said coin driven memberand adapted to engage said first named count registering means when saidfirst named count registering means is in said disengaged position toshift the same to an engaged position relative to said coin drivenmember toward the completion of a count of a large number of coins, andmeans to selectively engage and disengage said extended countregistering means with said coin driven member.

2. In a coin counting machine having a driven coin feeding wheel, meansto render said wheel operative to feed coins during a count, and controlmeans to render said first named means inoperative at the end of acount, the combination of a control mechanism for said control meanscomprising a coin driven member, count settable registering meansengageable by said coin driven member to operate said control means atthe completion of a count of different predetermined small numbers ofcoins, said count registering means being also settable to a disengagedposition relative to said coin driven member for extended count,extended count registering means adapted to be shifted between aninoperative position and an operative position in which it is engaged bysaid coin driven member and engages said first named count registeringmeans when said first named count registering means is in saiddisengaged position to shift the same to an engaged position relative tosaid coin driven member when the count of a large number of coins hasadvanced to a preselected point whereby the completion of the count iseifected by said first named count registering means, and means to shiftsaid extended count registering means between its inoperative andoperative positions.

3. In a coin counting machine having a driven coin feeding wheel, meansto render said wheel operative to feed coins during a count, and controlmeans including a shiftable member to render said first named meansinoperative at the end of a count, the combination of a controlmechanism for said control means comprising settable count registeringmeans to operate said control means at the completion of a count ofdiflferent predeter mined small numbers of coins by controlling theposition of said shiftable member, a coin driven member for operatingsaid shiftable member when positioned in opera tive relation therewithby said count registering means at the end of a count to actuate saidcontrol means, said count registering means being also settable toaninoperative position relative to said shiftable member, extended countregistering means for a count of a large number of coins, means forshifting said extended count registering means into operative relationwith said coin driven member when said first named count registeringmeans is in its inoperative position, and means included within saidextended count registering means to shift said first named countregistering means to an operative position relative to said shiftablemember at a predetermined point near the end of a count of a largenumber of coins.

an inoperative position and including a second ratchet 10 wheel operableby said member when said mechanism is in said operative position and acount multiplying wheel operable by said second ratchet wheel to engagesaid first ratchet wheel when said first ratchet wheel is in saidinoperative position to shift the same to an operative position relativeto said member when a count of a large number of coins has advanced to apreselected point; and means for shifting said extended coin registeringmechanism between said operative and inoperative positions.

No references cited.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N0. 3 138166 June 23,, 1964 Arnold R. Buchholz It is hereby certified, that errorappears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that thesaid Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6 lines 14 and 34 for count settable'fi, each occurrencm readsettable count -0 Signed and sealed this 27th day of October 19640(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. IN A COIN COUNTING MACHINE HAVING A DRIVEN COIN FEEDING WHEEL, MEANSFOR RENDERING SAID WHEEL OPERATIVE TO FEED COINS DURING A COUNT, ANDCONTROL MEANS TO RENDER SAID FIRST NAMED MEANS INOPERATIVE AT THE END OFA COUNT, THE COMBINATION OF A CONTROL MECHANISM FOR SAID CONTROL MEANSCOMPRISING A COIN DRIVEN MEMBER, COUNT SETTABLE REGISTERING MEANSENGAGEABLE BY SAID COIN DRIVEN MEMBER TO OPERATE SAID CONTROL MEANS ATTHE COMPLETION OF A COUNT OF DIFFERENT PREDETERMINED SMALL NUMBERS OFCOINS, SAID COUNT REGISTERING MEANS BEING ALSO SETTABLE TO A DISENGAGEDPOSITION RELATIVE TO SAID COIN DRIVEN MEMBER FOR EXTENDED COUNT,EXTENDED COUNT REGISTERING MEANS ENGAGEABLE BY SAID COIN DRIVEN MEMBERAND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID FIRST NAMED COUNT REGISTERING MEANS WHEN SAIDFIRST NAMED COUNT REGISTERING MEANS IS IN SAID DISENGAGED POSITION TOSHIFT THE SAME TO AN ENGAGED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID COIN DRIVENMEMBER TOWARD THE COMPLETION OF A COUNT OF A LARGE NUMBER OF COINS, ANDMEANS TO SELECTIVELY ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE SAID EXTENDED COUNTREGISTERING MEANS WITH SAID COIN DRIVEN MEMBER.